The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Pistachio tree Pistacia vera which has been denominated varietally as ‘Lost Hills,’ and more particularly to such a pistachio tree which has a harvest date of four to sixteen days earlier than the industry standard pistachio tree variety ‘Kerman’.
Its novel features include an earlier harvest than ‘Kerman’, an individual nut size larger than ‘Kerman’ and the percentage of split nuts greater than ‘Kerman’. The earlier harvest date will permit growers to extend their harvest period and reduce competition for scarce harvesting resources and will permit harvest in northern areas of the state before fall rains which can promote disease. The cultivar requires less chilling for dormancy than ‘Kerman’, which improves uniformity of foliation, bloom, pollination, nut filling and nut maturity at harvest in years with insufficient chilling for ‘Kerman’.